The Silver Cord (Observations and Traditions)

In literature and in the news the terms "silver cord" and
"astral cord" are used without making any difference. I have
split the two terms into two different meanings, assigning silver-cord
as a term for the etheric cord phenomenon and astral cord as a term for
the astral cord phenomenon. Below experiences and speculations are presented,
underlining the use of two different terms.

Observations and Descriptions of the Silver-Cord

Description of the silver cord
in the literature

Robert Crookall: "The Techniques of Astral
Projection", The Aquarian Press, Wellingborough, GB, 1981, page 49:
"The silver cord is not a physical feature. lt was likened by
Bertrand to "a kind of elastic string", by Muldoon to "an
elasticlike cable", by Turvey to "a spider's cord" which
was "silver" and which "extends and contracts as an elastic
cord", by Gerhardi to ,,a coil of light", "a lighted cord",
"a thin ray of light" and ,,the silver cord" (which he observed
was behind his Astral Body as he moved forward). Home likened his to ,,a
silvery-like light", Huntley described "a feeble thread",
Miss ,,P.L." ,,a cord", Mrs Larsen "a current of mysterious
influence", Sigrid Kaeyer "a connexion".
Rebell described "a thin luminous ribbon", Mrs Boorman "a
stream of light", Wirt "a silver cord or chain", Mrs. Gilbert
"a cloudy-looking cord", the Tibetans "a strand or cord",
Mrs Cripps ,,a shaft of sunlight"', Stuart-Young ,,a thread",
the Anon. lady "a beam of light", Mrs "T.D." "a
smoky string", Mrs "Prothero" "a slender, slightly
luminous cord", Dr Simons "an elastic force", etc.
These people who independently gave such similar descriptions of what they
saw include Britons, Americans, Frenchmen, Tibetans, Latvians, etc., clergymen,
doctors, authors, musicians, etc. Many of them had never heard of the Astral
Body or of astral projection."

Own experiences of the silver
cord

Bal.: "Several years ago I once experienced
the silver cord when "stepping-out-in-trance". Out of the body,
at a distance of about 1m or 1,5m I turned around, face to the physical
body. As usual in near-body distance I was without visual perception and
in absolute darkness. Feeling a touch on my breast I reached out for it
and felt something with smooth surface formed like a cone, diameter at
the basis (breast) ca. 15 - 20cm, getting smaller to a diameter of about
5cm at a body-distance of about 30cm. At this diameter (5cm) it transformed
to a cord, leading in direction of the physical body. In all other OBE's
of the type of "stepping-out-in-trance" I paid no attention to
the silver cord, but at a certain distance (ca. 50m) I felt a pull. Then
I was stopped as if tied and fixed at my backside. Instantly I was retracted
to the physical body. This happened very often and reduced my expeditions
to a short duration, frustrating me."

Descriptions, seen by mediumistic
persons as observers

S.Muldoon, H.Carrington, "The Phenomena
of Astral Projection", p. 71:"THE HOUT CASE NO. 2, in which the doctor tells of seeing the
exteriorized etheric bodies of three different persons, while the latter
were undergoing surgical operations.." ,,In each case I was able to
see, at least part of the time, the astral cord that united these spirit
bodies with their physical counterparts. This was represented to me as
a silvery shaft of light which wound around through the room in much the
same way as a curl of smoke will drift indifferently in still atmosphere.
When the magnetic force would draw the spirit close to the physical body,
this cord was more apparent, as though more concentrated. At other times
this force was indistinguishable to me. ."

Positions of Silver Cord Connections

Bal.: "While I have been moving away from
the physical body, the silver cord has been connected to the backside of
the subtle body; turning around, face to the physical body, the basis of
the silver-cord has been sensed at the frontside. It seems that the root
of the silver cord always is directed towards the physical body. The most
frequently described locations of the root of the cord are back and breast
respectively and back of the head and forehead respectively. The position
is affected by the focus of consciousness being either body centered or
mental centered.

At both ends, at which the silver cord enters the bodies (physical and
etherical body) the end of the cord is widened like the connection of the
root of a tree"

I suppose, that the silver cord can be connected with any place of the
body, though some few places are prefered:

Rotation
with the silver cord as axis. Observed by Ballabene, 29.10.1980

In
the same experience later on, the silver cord shifted from the head to
the region of the stomach. The subtle body still was rotating with the
silver cord as axis.

Length and Thickness of the Silver
Cord

Concerning the length of the silver cord very different observations are
reported. There seem to be great individual variabilities. Diameter and
length are correlated.

S.J. Muldoon (3), p.29 writes:
The "cord" is described as relatively short and thick when the
"double" is within a few feet of the body and getting thinnner
and thinner as they separate, until it is like a spider's web.

Pulsations and vibrations of
the cord

In this respect I have no personal experiences. In literature (see Crookall)
pulsations and vibrations of the silver cord are mentioned. Mostly these
pulsations are interpreted as vitality transport and life-impulses towards
physical body for breathing and heart beat. I prefer another interpretation:
Pulsations and vibrations are very common experiences before starting body
separation. Why not should such pulsations extend and spread over the silver
cord. I think there is no need to attach importance to this detail.

Function of the silver cord (theoretical
considerations)

The etheric "substance" penetrating the physical body has
been experienced (by occultists) as connected to vitality. A lack of etheric
substance in human body is postulated to cause weakness or sickness. On
the other hand an accumulation, induced by a number of exercises in Yoga,
Taoism, Kung Fu etc., seems to lead to mediumistic and paraphysical abilities.
While OBE-ing (etheric OBE) a part of the vital body separates, forming
a fog-like double, the etheric body. To prevent a permanent loss of etheric
substance, bound to the double, there seems to be a "saving"
mechanism, in which the silver cord takes part, connecting the dissociated
ektoplasm to its source in the physical body. Thus a separation of etheric
matter with no return is prevented.

The forming process of the silver cord

Threads observed when separating:

In my OBE´s performed by the technique "stepping
out in trance" my subtle body seemed to be tied by many elastic cords
to the physical body as if being attached by gluelike stringy material.
By rocking I enlarged my swinging motions, and at last I was able to rupture
these cords (at least that was what I sensed). It may be that only part
of the strings were torn and another part, situated in a somehow favoured
region and more densely arranged, were assembled to a single, stronger
"string", the so called "cord" I am dealing with. In
this way statements of some authors may be interpreted, in which the base
of the silver cord is described to be of rootlike character or to be composed
of many cords.

Statements of authors, considering the silver
cord as composed of many threads:
Monroe, Robert: "Journeys out of the body". German Ed.
1972, p.164.

"Where the cord joins the double it
consists of thousands of very fine, elastic threads, which seem to suck
the double into them."

Speculations and Doubts concerning an Astral Cord

The Astral Cord interpreted in Theosoph´s
tradition:

The Theosophs initiated modern esoteric insights
and their theories are accepted all over the esoteric groups. Regarding
this valuable research critisicsm seems retentious but nevertheless may
be useful, if we don't want to stick to dogmas. At the end of the 19th
century the most important impulse for civilization was the invention of
a new way to send informations in "no time" by means of electrical
signals conducted in cables. It was logic to refer to the new development
when creating a modern esoteric science, specially since cable-like features
were found, connecting subtle body to physical body. The social-religious
paradigm of this era was hierarchical. In the same way as god was controlling
world, the overself was controlling the physical body, passing on its orders
to the latter by means of the information cable "astral cord".
Control was thought to be complete, even in details like breathing and
heart-beat. Technique was not as far developed as to allow ideas like autoorganization
and selfregulation.

A second and additional idea was the association
of the cord with the umbilical cord, the mother aspect being associated
to the physical body, the embryo to the subtle body. Birth was linked to
death: In birth the umbilical cord is cut and the newborn enters daylight
as individual; in physical death the silver cord breaks and the soul is
set free. Resulting from this philosophy a break of the silver- (astral-)
cord was thought to cause death.

Personal observations:

I have never seen, felt or touched a cord in astral
plane.

Experiences:

Stepping out in false awakening: For several
times I turned in direction to the physical body to check the existence
of a cord by touch and sight and had no positive cord observations. In
all these experiences there were no mediumistic signs, no threads registered
and stepping out was easy and without problems.

Spontaneous astral travellings:

I very often turned around in astral travelling,
mostly to gain better orientation. I have never seen a cord and I have
never felt a direction in which the physical body could have been. I rather
felt to be in another plane. In this case the cord would have had to cross
planes. I doubt if this is principally possible for any matter, even if
it is a subtle matter considering that every plane has its own kind of
"matter" and organization.

Conclusion

> * can you expand on the theory that if the strand is broken the owner dies?

It's not at all probably that the strand could break - it's like a gas and
you can not break or cut a gas. But should something like that occur, then
the person will be weakened and perhaps become sick, but it would not be
as harmful that the person would die (this opinion of mine is in
contradiction to the opinion of the Theosophic teaching.)

> * What form would the strand take in it's connection with the owner (hanging
from it, sat on top indian-rope-trick style etc)

It mostly is observed as hanging down, of silvery shine or nearly
transparent. If not hanging down it always takes the shortest way to the
physical body.

> * and anything else that you feel may be of use to making this as accurate as
possible.

In all observations and letters the silver cord (the strand) only is
observed in excursions nearby the physical body, thus an etheric
phenomenon and no astral subject.

In contrary to these wide spread observations Theosophs are of opinion
that the silver cord does exist as well on astral plane, as a cable for
transport of mental/emotion information and for life vitality. The basis
to that believe (that the cord exists as well on astral plane) is more
because of theoretic considerations than as a result of observation.
The Theosophs are the founders of the present basis of
occult/transcendental understanding.

> * also does the strand apply to those merely sleeping or only to those
projecting?

It's an observation of those who leave the physical body by will by means
of stepping out or floating out or rolling out.
The silver cord is not observed in astral projections (which mostly are
spontaneous or performed by visual projections) - which are more of
dreamlike character than the above mentioned "leaving the physical body" experiences.

Reports in myths and traditions, which can be interpretated
as those of the silver cord

A detailed explanation concerning the rope-trick
by Mircea Eliade you can read in the book "Schamanismus und archaische
Ekstasetechnik" (german edition), Rascher Verl., Zürich, page
402 - 405. Sorry that I only know the German title and that no English
passage is brought!